Need to change approach before Indonesia
After a 0-0 draw against Singapore, the Vietnamese team entered the confrontation with Indonesia in a context where they are forced to achieve favorable results to maintain an advantage in Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026. However, according to former player Nguyen Tuan Phong, this is not a match where the team can choose to enter the game in a similar way to against Singapore.
He believes that Indonesia is a much higher quality opponent, and is playing at the Pakansari stadium with the cheers of tens of thousands of fans. Therefore, the top priority of the Vietnamese team needs to be certainty.
This match, the approach will be different from Singapore. Against Singapore, we were determined to win, so the game had to be attacking, but in the end we could not solve the match. As for Indonesia, although still aiming for victory, we must first play safely, we cannot play like the match against Singapore, otherwise it will be very dangerous," Nguyen Tuan Phong assessed.
According to this former player, the Vietnamese team should choose a more balanced playing style, prioritizing solid defense and then considering counter-attack situations or organizing attacks when there is an opportunity.
We should play in a defensive counter-attacking style or half defensive, half attacking. Indonesia plays at home, is very physically strong and plays very aggressive pressing. They switch states quickly, press continuously, so we must be really careful," he analyzed.
Nguyen Tuan Phong also assessed that the naturalized players have helped Indonesia improve significantly. According to him, although many players are no longer playing in Europe, their professional quality is still superior to most local players.
From the goalkeeper to the lines, Indonesia is quite uniform. Many players have played football in Europe, so their level is still very different. That helps Indonesia have a much better squad quality than before," he said.
The midfield problem will decide the situation
Besides changing the approach, Nguyen Tuan Phong believes that the midfield will be the area that determines the success or failure of the Vietnamese team in this confrontation.
According to him, Indonesia's greatest strength lies in its high-intensity pressing ability, fierce disputes and very fast status change.
Indonesia is strongest in the ability to push the pace of the match up. They press very fiercely, take the ball and then switch to the next position immediately. The match against Cambodia showed that the opponent could hardly deploy the ball because they were constantly under pressure," he assessed.
Although admitting that Cambodia cannot be compared to the Vietnamese team in terms of professional level, the former player still believes that coach John Herdman's team will continue to use a playing style rich in strength and speed when welcoming the Vietnamese team.
One of the things that Nguyen Tuan Phong is worried about is the midfield area of the Vietnamese team.
According to him, if Quang Hai and Hoang Duc continue to be arranged to play together in the center like in the match against Singapore, the team may face disadvantages in defense.
I feel the midfield pair Quang Hai and Hoang Duc are a bit similar, both lean towards organizing attacks. In midfield, there is a lack of a player with strong defense and good interception ability. Against Indonesia's very quality midfield, this is worrying," he shared.
The former player also believes that the coaching staff may consider personnel adjustments to increase the ability to compete in the midfield area.
I don't know if coach Kim Sang-sik will continue to use that arrangement or will change to increase steel in the midfield. If necessary, Hoang Duc can be pulled deeper to support defense because it will be safer when facing physically strong Indonesian midfielders," Nguyen Tuan Phong commented.
According to the assessment of the former player, the Vietnamese team is still capable of aiming for a positive result if they choose a reasonable start, limit gaps in the midfield area and neutralize the pressing pressure right from the first minutes at the Pakansari stadium. Against an Indonesia that is in high form and possesses home advantage, changing the playing style to a more pragmatic direction may be the key for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team to complete the goal of winning points.
